{"id":251397,"date":"2023-04-05T19:18:12","date_gmt":"2023-04-05T17:18:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=251397"},"modified":"2023-04-05T19:18:14","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T17:18:14","slug":"record-march-cold-over-the-western-u-s-and-northern-plains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=251397","title":{"rendered":"Record March Cold Over the Western U.S. and Northern Plains"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Cliff Mass Weather Blog<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Cliff Mass<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This past March brought record cold to a vast swath of the U.S., including the West Coast and the northern Plains.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here in Washington State, the frigid conditions even continued into April, with snow showers falling to sea-level and serious snow on some of the hilltops near Seattle (see the snowfall at 1100 ft in Bellevue on Sunday night).\u00a0 April?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

April 2. Bellevue, Washington at 1100 ft. Courtesy Dr. Peter Benda<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Satellites can observe atmospheric temperatures from space.\u00a0 \u00a0The lower-atmosphere temperatures for March from such satellite (see below) indicate that the coldest temperature anomalies (differences from normal) on the planet occurred in a swath from the West Coast to the upper plains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Portions of eastern Oregon had had their coldest March in history, as shown by the March temperatures at Burns, Oregon over the past 50 years.\u00a0 \u00a0I mean no year was even close to March 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A NOAA temperature analysis that presents the differences from normal of temperatures around 10,000 ft (700 hPa pressure) for March is shown below. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stunning.\u00a0 The temperatures were HUGELY below normal over the western portion of North America, but above normal over the southeast.\u00a0 This produced a very anomalous change in temperature (temperature gradient) over the middle of the nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Big horizontal temperature changes are associated with strong jet stream winds in the upper troposphere.\u00a0 So it is not surprising the jet-stream level (~30,000 ft, 250 hPa pressure) winds\u00a0were much above normal<\/strong>\u00a0in the area with anomalously large horizontal temperature changes (see below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Red, orange, and yellow colors show where winds are much stronger than normal, with the most anomalous jet stream winds from California to Colorado.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The large temperature gradients and strong upper winds have been favorable for the strong thunderstorms (and severe weather) over the eastern portion of the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This historically cold March weather in the west has been a godsend in one way:  it slows the melting of the massive snowpack in California. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A rapid warm-up would be very dangerous, leading to serious flooding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The weather for the next 15 days? <\/strong>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You guessed it, colder than normal in the West (see forecast temperature anomalies below).  Blue and green colors indicate substantially below-normal temperatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My advice: don’t think about buying tomato plants in April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This past March brought record cold to a vast swath of the U.S., including the West Coast and the northern Plains.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":251414,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691818061],"class_list":{"0":"post-251397","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-record-cold","10":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/00EVVXMMGXWVPVRPQHEASHSRJLAA.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-13oN","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":289818,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=289818","url_meta":{"origin":251397,"position":0},"title":"The big chill: flights suspended at Glasgow Airport \u2013 as warnings for snow and ice in place across\u00a0UK","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"12\/03\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"From Tallbloke's Talkshop December 2, 2023 by\u00a0oldbrew One day into\u00a0meteorological winter\u00a0and already global warming has gone missing. As \u2018cold health alerts\u2019 are activated, renewable energy has all but dried up leaving gas to take the strain of electricity generation. Even coal is outperforming wind power.Update:\u00a0Flights resume at Glasgow Airport\u00a0[announced at\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"-12C overnight\"","block_context":{"text":"-12C overnight","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=12c-overnight"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0GAVpXz8bEAAzLu0.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0GAVpXz8bEAAzLu0.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0GAVpXz8bEAAzLu0.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0GAVpXz8bEAAzLu0.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0GAVpXz8bEAAzLu0.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":327564,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=327564","url_meta":{"origin":251397,"position":1},"title":"Sea Surface Temperatures: West Versus East Coast.","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"05\/08\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Perhaps, this blog spends too much time talking about the atmosphere, so to make amends today, let's see what is happening to the temperature of the ocean surface. And see whether anything unusual is going on.","rel":"","context":"In \"East coast\"","block_context":{"text":"East coast","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=east-coast"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/00wp6696151.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/00wp6696151.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/00wp6696151.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/00wp6696151.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/00wp6696151.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":228657,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=228657","url_meta":{"origin":251397,"position":2},"title":"Glacier saga","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"11\/11\/2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I hope that this little exposition helps Reilly Neill and the real scientists of Montana understand the causes of the recent variations in Montana\u2019s glaciers.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/00Screen-Shot-2022-11-10-at-11.31.49-AM.webp?fit=768%2C396&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/00Screen-Shot-2022-11-10-at-11.31.49-AM.webp?fit=768%2C396&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/00Screen-Shot-2022-11-10-at-11.31.49-AM.webp?fit=768%2C396&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/00Screen-Shot-2022-11-10-at-11.31.49-AM.webp?fit=768%2C396&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":242753,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=242753","url_meta":{"origin":251397,"position":3},"title":"February Fantasy Redux","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"02\/02\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Another beautiful theory runs hard aground on a reef of ugly facts.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-42.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-42.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-42.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-42.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-42.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":288358,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=288358","url_meta":{"origin":251397,"position":4},"title":"While Media Obsess About Some Warmth, Globe Seeing Plenty Of Unusual Cold Events","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"11\/22\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"From NoTricksZone By\u00a0P Gosselin\u00a0on\u00a015. November 2023 Surface temperatures measured where people live show there\u2019s as much cold as there \u2018s warmth, see\u00a0temperature.global.com. Christian Freuer\u2019s Cold Report (EIKE) and Electroverse.com Snowpack extent in US reaches record levels! America\u2019s first Arctic air blast of the season broke hundreds of low temperature records\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Arctic air blast\"","block_context":{"text":"Arctic air blast","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=arctic-air-blast"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/0F-erG00W4AArZrm.jpeg?fit=1200%2C540&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/0F-erG00W4AArZrm.jpeg?fit=1200%2C540&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/0F-erG00W4AArZrm.jpeg?fit=1200%2C540&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/0F-erG00W4AArZrm.jpeg?fit=1200%2C540&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/0F-erG00W4AArZrm.jpeg?fit=1200%2C540&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":366209,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=366209","url_meta":{"origin":251397,"position":5},"title":"Major Storm Pounds Western US\u2026Reaches Northeastern States This Weekend\u2026Very Cold Next Week\u2026Mid-Week East Coast Storm Threat","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"02\/15\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"A major storm system will pound the western states during the next couple of days and it will then trek across the nation and wreak havoc in the eastern states this weekend. In California, the rainfall in coming days will be heavy all along low-lying coastal sections from Oregon to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"cold air\"","block_context":{"text":"cold air","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=cold-air"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0image-47.webp?fit=975%2C731&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0image-47.webp?fit=975%2C731&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0image-47.webp?fit=975%2C731&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0image-47.webp?fit=975%2C731&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251397","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=251397"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251397\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":251416,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251397\/revisions\/251416"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/251414"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=251397"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=251397"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=251397"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}